WAIKATO | DAIRY MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Runner-up in the Dairy Manager category is Taupiri Farm Manager Aidan Drake, while farm manager Sam Guise placed third. Sam works on a 865-cow farm at Cambridge.
wanted to change that perception.” Hopefully by winning it will inspire other migrants and Kiwis to enter the awards, he says. “If this guy can win it, why can’t I?” The awards process is hard work, but you learn a lot about yourself and your farm business, he says. “I’ve spent the last 13 years in the New Zealand dairy industry learning and accumulating knowledge. “Entering the Awards is a great way to gauge where I am and challenge myself to take the necessary steps to further my career in the dairy industry.”
Citizen band: (from left) Jonah, Lily and Christopher recently became New Zealand citizens.
Doing it for the migrants WORDS BY SHERYL HAITANA PHOTOS BY EMMA MCCARTHY
T
he winner of the 2021 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year hopes his win can inspire other migrants and ordinary Kiwis working in the New Zealand dairy industry. Christopher Gerard Vila is farm manager on the JA BE Turnwald Family Trust near Ohaupo milking 341 cows on 103ha. Christopher grew up in the Philippines and was a newly qualified veterinarian, specialising in dogs and cats, when he visited his sister and brother-in-law who were dairy farming in NZ. The opportunities in the industry appealed to him, so he applied for a work visa and got a job as a farm assistant. “I thought I would try my luck, it was animal related work and I was lucky someone employed me.” He worked on two farms as a farm assistant before he moved up to second in charge (2IC) and then got the farm manager’s position at Ohaupo, where he has stayed for the last seven seasons. The 37-year-old is married to Jonah and they have a three year old daughter, Gillian (Lily). This is the first year Christopher had entered the Dairy Industry Awards, after an 42
GOOD SUPPORT
LIC representative mentioned them to him. “To be honest, I didn’t really know about the awards. I’m just focused on my job and staying here as a migrant. “I thought about it, but was second guessing myself about whether I was up to it.” In the end he decided to enter to inspire his two staff, who are also from the Philippines. “I wanted to be an example of how hard work and perseverance can get you somewhere. There is an image that you are a migrant and you don’t know anything, I
To enter the awards you need good support from your farm owner or employer, he says. “Mark and the whole family have been so supportive. Mark gave me milkings off (to work on his entry) and did dry runs of my presentation with me.” The relationship between Christopher and his farm owners is now one of a family, he says. “They treat us like family now, they are all so supportive and that’s what we try and do with our staff, to adopt that culture into the workplace.” Christopher believes there are many reasons why farming is a great career choice, however for him, it’s the fact that
PHYSICAL FARM DATA
340
104ha
Crossbred cows
Milking platform area
Production 423kg MS/cow
• 1384kg MS/ha
Milking supplement
150kg N/ha/year
213t blended meal
136
Cows/labour unit
12.8t DM/ha/yr
Farm Dairy
28 AS HB with inshed feed
Dairy Automation
Nitrogen
75%
ACR
Not-in-calf-rate
10%
Six-week in-calf rate
Wintering
Pasture eaten
25% off farm; all grass
12
Weeks of mating
Runoff leased
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | April 2021
